1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to polymers which contain reactive functional groups enabling them to be self-reactive or reactive with other materials containing co-reactable groups.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art:
Polymers containing reactive groups such as active hydrogen groups, particularly hydroxyl and carboxylic acid, are reactive with other materials containing N-methylol or N-alkoxymethyl groups to form curable compositions. Unfortunately, compositions containing these materials when cured generate formaldehyde which is an undesirable by-product.
Curable compositions based on materials containing hydroxyalkylamide groups which are curable with polycarboxylic acids and polycarboxylic acid anhydrides are known in the prior art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,076,917; 4,101,606; 4,115,637 and 4,138,541. These compositions are curable without the generation of free formaldehyde.
Polymers based on active ester groups derived from alkyl acrylamidoglycolate alkyl ethers are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,528,320; 4,530,960; 4,656,308 and 4,755,623. Such polymers are curable with amines. Also, these polymers are self-curable or are curable by reaction with materials containing hydroxyl or carboxyl functionalities. Such materials, when they cure, also do not generate free formaldehyde.